CLEVELAND — This 2021 boating season is expected to be one of the busiest as we emerge from the pandemic, with more and more people getting out of the house and enjoying the outdoors.
Memorial Day weekend in Cleveland is the unofficial start of boat season on Lake Erie, and starting Friday, thousands of Northeast Ohioans are expected to shove off.
"We want everybody to have fun and go out there and enjoy the beautiful weather," Trent Gulliford with the U.S. Coast Guard said.
Going into the weekend, the Coast Guard stresses safety has to be top of mind. 3News spent Thursday on the dock with the U.S.C.G., which was getting ready to patrol the waters.
"[We] just want, overall, everyone to have safety equipment on board [in case] anything were to happen," Gulliford said. "Make sure your boat's up to date."
One precaution the Coast Guard sees people most unprepared is life jackets.
"Sometimes not enough life jackets," Gulliford said. “Everybody under the age of 10 has to have a life jacket on in Ohio.”
As life goes back to normal bit by bit, more people are expected out on the water this Memorial Day weekend headed into the summer.
"We expect a pretty busy season this year," Gulliford said.
He added that they expect more inexperienced boaters on the water.
"For any inexperienced boaters, there's so many classes out there that are offering help or just lessons on boating," he said,
The Coast Guard asks that you share the water and check your list twice before setting sail.
"If you're a boater, watch out for your kayakers, watch out for your paddle boarders," Gulliford said. "Everybody under the age of 10 has to have a life jacket on in Ohio."